The NWSL Championship is here and is set to be a close matchup between two very strong teams. The Orlando Pride will make their championship debut against the Washington Spirit, who won the title in 2021.
This is a huge moment for the Orlando Pride. After years of consistently being at the bottom of the league, the Pride have finally made it to the championship. Despite once having a stacked roster with Alex Morgan, Ali Krieger, and Sydney Leroux, the team has also only made the playoffs once before. Brazilian legend Marta, who announced her retirement from international football but has not made a public decision about her club career, finally has a chance to hoist the NWSL trophy. Zambian superstar Barbra Banda has turned heads in her first season with the Pride, scoring 13 goals in 22 games.
On the other hand, the Washington Spirit are hungry to win their second championship title. After winning their first in 2021, the team failed to qualify for the playoffs until this season. New coach Jonatan Giráldez, who coached FC Barcelona to many league and Champions League titles, has turned the ship around in his first season. The Spirit suffered a major blow by losing 2024 Rookie and Midfielder of the Year Croix Bethune to injury, but the roster has the star power to keep afloat in her absence. Trinity Rodman, Ouleymata Sarr, and Ashley Hatch will likely test the Pride’s defense heavily throughout the match.
Both teams have faced off twice this season, with the most recent being a 2-0 win for Orlando in October. Orlando also won their earlier matchup in April, although it was a closer 3-2 win. The championship will likely be another close match between the two sides.
Fans can tune into the match on Paramount+ and CBS on Saturday at 8 pm ET. Who do you think will win the championship? Let me know what you think in the comments below. Follow me on Twitter and check out Beyond Women’s Sports for more sporting news.
